WAUKESHA, WIS.—The installation of an energy management system (EMS) is an investment that pays for itself over time (typically two to five years), by reducing energy consumption and streamlining workflows. Engineers at Telkonet, Inc. analyzed the primary factors that affect EMS payback. They did this by looking at over 10 years’ worth of granular data about customer energy usage. Telkonet identified five primary drivers of EMS project payback. The company set out to learn which are the most powerful drivers affecting project payback. Telkonet gathered 10+ years of real-time savings data, and analyzed the following elements that affect each of its...

NATIONAL REPORT—According to the 2018 lodging survey released earlier this year, 75 percent of respondents indicated their properties have an exercise room or health/fitness facility. For the many years these millions of square feet of exercise rooms have been around, they have taken energy from the grid and not given it back. That is beginning to change thanks to at least one supplier of cardio fitness equipment—SportsArt. SportsArt is making it easy for hotel guests to generate AC power and send it back to the grid while exercising. The company’s ECO-POWR line includes a treadmill, cross trainer, elliptical machine, upright...

OTTAWA, ONT.—DewAir Corp., an Ottawa-based, leading manufacturer of HVAC and IAQ products, has introduced the RH-Cube 18, the HVAC industry’s first split-system mechanical dehumidifier using a compact, energy-efficient counter-flow heat exchanger for dedicated humidity control. The RH-Cube 18 reduces air-conditioning energy costs up to 55 percent and increases indoor air quality (IAQ) for restaurants, hotels, schools, healthcare clinics, athletic facilities, offices, grow-ops, factories, museums, warehouses, residences and many other applications with small to medium spaces requiring humidity control. The 18,000-BTU/hr, 600-CFM unit independently supplements any air-conditioning system by removing up to 206 lbs and 273 lbs (93 or 123 kg) of...

VAN NUYS, CALIF.—Capstone Turbine Corp., a leading clean technology manufacturer of microturbine energy systems, announced that Innovative Energy Corporation (IEC), Capstone’s exclusive distribution partner in Jamaica, has secured a second follow-on order for a C800 Signature Series microturbine along with a 20 year Factory Protection Plan. The C800 Signature Series will be installed in a combined cooling, heat and power (CCHP) configuration at the award-winning Couples Tower Isle luxury all-inclusive resort in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. This will be the third Capstone microturbine installation at a Couples Resorts property in Jamaica as the luxury resort management team for multiple locations across...

SAN JOSE, CALIF.—Lumileds, a global leader in innovative lighting solutions, released its 2018 Sustainability Report, which details the company’s progress in supporting the transition to a worldwide low-carbon economy. In the report, Lumileds highlights how its lighting solutions are contributing to positive changes in energy usage, safety, and health and wellness, supporting the company’s commitment to making the world safer, better and more beautiful with light. Lumileds follows a formalized sustainability agenda that identifies specific priorities and tracks progress. For example, in its global LED and automotive lighting operations, the company recently surpassed its 2020 operational goals relative to...

The hotel industry was an early adopter in embracing energy conservation and other earth friendly practices. However, sizable capital investments like HVAC upgrades, energy generation, or smart materials in renovations exceeds the short-term revenue models for today’s hotel investor. As of now, what a hotel can do has been done—switch to LED light bulbs, key entry-driven lighting, and reduced turnover of towels and linens. Although these efforts generate cost savings and matter to the environment, the investments are limited compared to what is being committed in residential and in new construction particularly in office buildings. Today’s hotel investor is focused on...

NATIONAL REPORT—Every year, millions of people on vacation opt for cruise travel to relax, explore new ports of call and partake in a host of fun activities, fine food and fancy umbrella drinks. Yet cruise ships have a huge negative impact on the world’s oceans. Today’s ocean vessels produce a ton of waste, and traditionally, little of it was recycled. Additionally, cruise ships produce a ton of organic waste and sewage, most of which previously expelled directly into ocean waters. Leftover foods which could feed the hungry were tossed, and few if any dining materials such as plastic straws, plates,...

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ.—CIRQ+ has expanded its unified system capabilities to deliver an advanced Smart Technology Platform. CIRQ+ is the only patented modular Smart Device in the hospitality industry. The award-winning and future-proof platform has been engineered to enhance guest experience, improve hotel efficiencies, reduce energy consumption and lower operating costs. “With our ultra-modern design, the first multimodal interfaces and voice combinations, CIRQ+ has now elevated the standard for Smart Room controls by continuing to consolidate numerous products into a unified IoT solution that sets itself apart from the competition,” said Yani Deros, CEO and co-founder of CIRQ+. “Hotels striving to catch up...

ATLANTA—Honeywell, a global leader in connected buildings, announced enhancements to its INNCOM INNcontrol 5 (IC5) Energy Management and Guestroom Control System that will allow multi-property scalability for full portfolio management. Honeywell also launched a new mid-market product offering to make cost-effective, simplified energy management available to a wider range of properties. The IC5 system lets operators monitor and manage energy and guestroom controls for an entire hotel property—and now across an entire hotel portfolio—in real time to identify and resolve issues before they affect guests, track energy usage, and deliver better operational efficiency. IC5 collects guestroom data and presents it...

SAN FRANCISCO—Home2 Suites by Hilton, part of Hilton’s All Suites portfolio, announced its newest property and the first open hotel built through modular construction in Bay Area history, the Home2 Suites by Hilton San Francisco Airport North. Designed for travelers who want to maintain their normal routine, the hotel features 155 suites and a range of value, tech-focused and eco-conscious amenities. Through an efficient modular building process, the hotel will meet San Francisco’s booming tourism demand, where already-strong tourism numbers grew by 3 percent in 2018 to a record 26.3 million visitors. “Thanks to its high demand but equally high...